Kissable lips, red lips, glossy lips, matte lips, nude lips, or natural lips are just some of the terminology that create an instant picture in the mind of an aesthetic and beauty professional. Lips are a central defining feature of the face, as they are uniquely different from the rest of the face. The aesthetic perception most have of full, well-defined lips reminds them of a sense of youth, health, and attractiveness. The aging process has a significant effect on this specialized feature. Over time, the lips become thin and flat and lose their soft appearance and beautiful pink hue. So, how can clients take care of the lips they are born with and even naturally enhance and maintain their lips by good self-care habits?

First, it is important to understand how the lips are structured in order to give good advice to clients. The challenge with the lips is they have a very thin layer of the stratum corneum, which can have poor skin barrier function and low moisture capacity. The lips can become very dry, chapped, and dull in color due to environmental factors such as wind, sun, smoking, temperature extremes, or even certain medications. The lips get their pinkish red color from a decreased density of keratin and translucency of the tissue, allowing the underlying capillaries to be seen.

The age-related changes to the lips are very linear. The older the client, the more likely their lips show visible and linear wrinkles (fine lines). The elastin and collagen fibers undergo a degeneration process and noticeable signs of aging appear in the lips. For some clients, it may seem to happen overnight. There are some chronological aging factors and environmental factors that contribute to this. Exposure to sunlight – being in the sun without sunscreen – speeds up the lips’ aging and results in dramatic reduction of collagen and elastin. The more lips age, the more they also lose hydration. Therefore, as women age, they should avoid matte lip color, as not only does it not add additional hydration, it also shrinks the appearance of lips due to the lack of light reflection. Moist, creamy, or glossy lips have the most youthful appearance.

When choosing products that bring resilience to flattened and dehydrated lips, consider which ingredients are great for lip-renewal. To improve lip texture and condition, look for lip treatment formulas with ingredients such as growth factors, hyaluronic acid, marine filling spheres, emollients, and tripeptides. To increase lip fullness and volume, look for niacin, emollients, and essential fatty acids (lipid renewal).

These amazing ingredients can be found in different lip products that the spa can carry and keep right at the cash wrap, so they are easily visible for clients, reminding them about a daily lip treatment.

Consider sourcing or carrying any of the following:

• sun protection formula lipsticks with SPF
• lip salve, to soothe dry, chapped lips, cuticles, elbows, and heels
• tinted balms that are moisturizing with a sheer tint or a saturated sheen
• lip balm with cocoa butter, vitamin E, and natural mineral SPF
• intensive lip serum with ceramides and shea butter that help repair the barrier long-term
• lip oil using coconut oil that is molded into a stick form that melts onto the lips
• beeswax lip balm, which applies a shield of protection that prevents water loss
• menthol and camphor lip balm, known for soothing cracked lips during winter
• lip butter in a tin that is rich and creamy, providing ultimate hydration
• lip masks that are heavy duty that clients can sleep in, to induce lip repair
• lip ointment that is healing, for chapped, flaky lips
• lip sugar scrub that lightly buffs lips to slough off unwanted dried debris
• lip plumper that stimulates blood flow to the lips through caffeine, peppermint, or cinnamon
• lip treatment using peptides, growth factors, and hyaluronic acid

The average client has lip products in their pockets, purses, inside their car, or even in their bathroom and nightstand drawers. Lip products treat a myriad of different lip issues, such as dehydration, flakiness, aging, vertical lines, or deflating lips, that relate to almost everyone. They are great for all ages and genders and, of course, are important for the health and protection of the body. Consider offering lip treatment add-on services that bring an additional benefit to clients’ facial treatments. What client would not want to take care of such a beautiful feature? Be sure to place signage offering lip treatment services in the spa’s treatment rooms and train the reception team to remind clients at the time of booking that these services are available. Teach clients to show their lips some love and to not forget about this incredible part of the face.

Jaclyn Peresetsky is not only the owner of Skin Perfect Spas in Ohio and Florida, but she is a noted color expert, makeup artist, master aesthetician, permanent makeup instructor, author, and speaker. Her multiple books, cosmetic and skin care lines, and training courses allow other beauty professionals to learn and add more services combining art and science, to become leading beauty experts. Her passion for education led her to create a school for advanced aesthetics and color, opening in January of 2019 in Columbus, Ohio.

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